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State of Global Air 2017

Air pollution is the leading environmental cause of death worldwide according to the State of Global Air 2017, a new, first annual report and interactive website launched at www.stateofglobalair.org. The report also finds that 92% of the world’s population lives in areas with unhealthy air. All told, long-term exposure to fine particulate matter-- the most significant element of air pollution--contributed to 4.2 million premature deaths and to a loss of 103 million healthy years of life in 2015, making air pollution the 5th highest cause of death among all health risks, including smoking, diet, and high blood pressure. The analysis found that China and India together were responsible for over half of the total global attributable deaths. The study also finds that increasing exposure and a growing and aging population have meant that India now rivals China for among the highest air pollution health burdens in the world, with both countries facing some 1.1 million early deaths from air pollution in 2015.

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